Branch and District Conferences

We have only had 2 Conferences so far. A Branch Conference in Ameca and a District Conference in Santiago.
We of course met sweet sweet faithful people in both areas.
Bob with the Ameca Branch Presidency.  The brother with the green tie has been a member for 4 months and taught a fabulous Sunday School lesson. (his 3 adorable little girls wore lime green dresses that matched his tie)

I will always remember this Relief Society day when the RS president (she is sitting in the front row in the black dress with green flowers) stood up after the lesson with her notebook and took an accounting right there in the meeting of each sister´s visiting teaching report... one by one she asked for their accounting.  Each sister gave a faithful report.

It was very genuine and tender.

With sisters after the Santiago District Conference

out with our missionaries

Our marvelous, fabulous, outstandingly faithful and devoted assistants

 Elder Molina and Elder Wilson

after the meet and greet in Vallarta Elders talking to President Clayton

taking Elder Mexquititla far left and Elder Alvarado next to him in the middle to Acaponeta where Elder Mexquititla will be the Branch President.

We found Elder Trujillo on splits with this valiant YSA young man on such a hot hot afternoon dripping with sweat, yet smiling and talking as they walked down the street, warm bottles of water in their hands

We found the Sisters 3 streets away on the Lords errand as well.

We stopped and gave them all fresh cold bottles of water, granola bars and our love

with the office Elders putting the transfer board together

after our meet and greet in Vallarta

waving and waving goodbye.. the hardest part

These elders just flag down those taxi´s like nobody´s business

This just made me smile, to see them pile right in there. And off they went to go back to work after our meet and greet

heading back to their area

aren´t they the cutest sisters ever!

I waved and waved and blew kisses and kisses until I couldnt´t see them any more

 sisters from the Colima zone and the darling sign they made for us

one more hug... seriously I just love them already

They all wanted to talk with President Clayton

 

This is right as these Elders showed us around the Acaponeta Branch house of prayer
It was such a hot hot day and it was even  hotter and mugger inside... but, we stood inside that sacred place and Bob offered a prayer for the Lord to bless these Elders, the only ones in this old Mexico city of Acaponeta




Standing in their apartment.. See their little 2 burner stove?

The people and places of Mexico

During our travels to the different parts of our mission we have seen much!

Here is a sampling of the things we are seeing and the beautiful people of Mexico...

this man was doing some serious grilling and it smelled wonderful

This sweet little boy is the son of the District President of Santiago, President Macias.  His mother was the one I was talking with, with my Spanish translation on my I pad

and his little buddy who really didn´t want his picture taken

a very crowded and busy side street 

beautiful Mexican architecture

we see precious children everywhere

It was so hot in Santiago, these little girls were playing

under the shade of this small table in the door way of  this little shop

   

this mans fresh fruit looked so nice on such a hot hot day

ok we couldn´t pass this one up... he was snuggled in that chair so tight... he reminded of you you know who...

this little alarm dog was on the lookout

we stopped to look at the multitude of things this sweet lady was selling

meeting our missionaries

Our first day was spent with our assistants.  We had a 4 hour planning meeting in the morning.  We calendared and organized our plan to meet and greet every missionary.  We spent the next week and a half traveling our mission meeting each missionary in their zones

                                                                 The Lomas Zone

               The Independencia Zone

The Santiago Zone

The Tepic Zone

The Vallarta Zone

The Guzman Zone

The Union Zone

 

                                             The Manzanillo Zone

                                          and finally the Colima Zone

We have traveled high and low, near and far across our Guadalajara mission,.and President Clayton says we have put over 1700 miles on our car in 9 days.  We are extremely impressed with the dedication and valiant efforts of our missionaries.  They are hard working and obedient.  They are happy and strong.  They persevere and continue each and every day.  We have learned that they know the gospel very well.  They know what they are teaching and they know how to connect and teach the people of  Mexico.  These missionaries are filled with love and energy, with a testimony of their very own, our missionaries are called of God to teach and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  President Clayton and I are honored and thrilled to be part of the Lords Work of Salvation here in this part of His vineyard.  

Arriving in Mexico

We arrived in Mexico with our dear new friends and companions the Eggington´s who are the Mission President and companion in the East Guadalajara Mission

 The Wagner´s were there at the airport to meet us.  We have such respect and love for the and we know we have very big shoes to fill.

We met our office staff

Elders Munoz, Elder McGregor

and our assistants

Elder Wilson and Elder Molina

We could never have imagined how much we were going to love these two Elders.

They have devoted 110%  and then some, to helping us get organized and oriented 

to the workings of this mission.  They have been lifesavers!

Getting Started with our misson

Dear family and friends of missionaries serving in the Guadalajara Mexico Mission!

Welcome to our mission blog,  Hastening the Work of Salvation.  I will be posting pictures and highlights from the missionaries serving in our mission.  We will also be mindful to post the interesting and  beautiful  places we visit and the people we meet here in Mexico.

Our first post was introducing my husband and myself.  Here are just a few pictures of my husband and I during our missionary training experience.  It was just unforgettable.  We felt each and every day that we were indeed sitting at the feet of Apostles and Prophets.  We learned from so many Church leaders!  What a marvelous experience we had!

Our testimony has been strengthened of these men that our Father in Heaven has chosen to lead and

guide us.  We are confident that they are men of God.  Every single healthy Apostle, all of the Presidency of the Seventy, the Presiding Bishopric, the Auxiliary Presidents and their counselors were there during our five days of training.  They were not there for just an hour or for just during their allotted time to speak, They are there all day and all evening long.  Every one of those brethren and sisters stayed and visited with us, they taught us and gave examples from their own lives and missions.  We were richly blessed to receive their council and guidance.

 We have felt the Lords confirming witness that this is His Church and that He is leading and guiding us.  Our task as members of the Lords true church on the earth today, is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ unto every nation.  We are thrilled to be a part of this great work, the Lords Work of Salvation.

 We encourage you to pray for your missionaries, to bouy  them up with your letters and emails, and support them with your positive, strengthening testimonies and faith building, and missionary minded experiences.

Thank you so much,
most warmly,
Sister Diane Clayton

Walking into the Mission Training Center!

We just could not believe that this day was finally here and really happening :)

us by ´the map´

our dear new friends and companions all going to Mexico!

 last day in the MTC